DATE: Wednesday, September 21st – 12 Noon program çççç
LOCATION: iWireless Center, 1201 River Dr., Moline
200 people of the Quad Cities’ tourism industry are gathering on Wednesday, September 21 for the annual meeting of the Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau. Both state tourism directors will make brief presentations. The meeting will be a fun combination of speakers, videos, and awards. The keynote speaker is Linda Shetina Logan, Founding Executive Director, Greater Columbus Sports Commission.
Linda Shetina Logan has been executive director of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission since its inception in June 2002. For five years prior, she was the director of sports marketing for the Greater Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau (GCCVB) now doing business as Experience Columbus.
Before joining the GCCVB, Logan was the director of sales and services at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. The Fairport Harbor, Ohio native has worked for the Kansas City Convention Center, the Big Eight Conference, the Kemper Arena and sports teams in Kansas City, Milwaukee and Cleveland.
Linda has organized, staged and directed hundreds of meetings, concerts, sporting events and conventions in a variety of positions and organizations. Some major events have included: NCAA Men's Final Four, Presidential Debates and the United Nations Summit on Trade.
Logan is a graduate of Ohio University, and a past advisory board member of the Sports Administration and Facility Management Program and past national chair of the board of the National Association of Sports Commissions. She currently is on the boards of the AAA Ohio Auto Club, Columbus Recreation and Parks and the Fairport Harbor Tourism Council. Her accolades include being named one of five "2013 Women of Achievement" by the Columbus YWCA and was recently recognized in Connect SPORTS magazine's cover story, "IX Women Who've Got Game" for making significant contributions to the sports tourism industry.
Award Recipients:
Former director of the Moline Parks & Recreation Department, Milt Hand served on the QCCVB board from 2004-2008 (serving as chair 2006-07), and the board of the Quad Cities Sports Commission. The Milt Hand Good Sport Award is going to:
· John Valliere, Head Golf Professional, Glynns Creek Golf Course. John has been a long-time supporter of Quad Cities tourism, the Quad Cities Sports Commission, and this year he is serving as the president of the Iowa section President and representative during the 100th anniversary of the PGA of America.
· Lujack’s in Davenport has graciously supported recent sports tournaments with courtesy cars.
· The Quad-City Times and the Quad Cities River Bandits jointly receive an award for organizing and providing a home for the Quad-City Sports Hall of Fame.
The QCCVB’s Volunteer Award is named in honor of Garry Thompson, a Rock Island resident who was an active volunteer with the QCCVB for over 20 years. He passed away on December 1, 2008. This year, the award is presented to Scott Davis of Silvis, Ill., for his support of the Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament.
Each year, the QCCVB recognizes those individuals that have successfully brought meetings, conventions, and events to the Quad Cities area in the past year.
· Gathering of the Green – March 16-19, 2016, RiverCenter – 1,650 room nights, Economic Impact: $1.5 million
· U.S. Trampoline & Tumbling Association Northern Illinois State Championships – April 22-24, 2016, Rock Island High School - 600 room nights, Economic Impact: $150,000
· NAIA Men’s Golf National Championship – May 22-27, 2016, TPC Deere Run - 800 room nights, Economic Impact: $500,000
· Pontiac Oakland Club International Annual Convention – July 13-17, 2016, Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf – 2,000 room nights, Economic Impact: $1.7 million
Corporate Partnership awards are presented to those in the community who have made extraordinary financial commitments to the QCCVB. This additional funding helps the QCCVB further its marketing and sales efforts for the promotion of the whole Quad Cities.
· Regional Development Authority
· Scott County Regional Authority
The Quad Cities Convention & Visitors Bureau (QCCVB) is the official tourism destination marketing and management organization for the Quad Cities region. The organization serves the tourism interests of Scott County in Iowa and Rock Island, Mercer, Warren and Henderson Counties in Illinois. The QCCVB increases visitor expenditures and overnight stays through strategic sales, marketing, and services. The Quad Cities averages over 1 million visitors a year that generate an $837 million economic impact on the local economy.
###
